The Mistake
by PrincessAletheia
Summary: On Emma's grave, Rossi makes a mistake that leads to JJ breaking up with him. Can he convince her that's she's the one for him?


_**A/N: This is my first story with JJ/Rossi, requested by ilovetvalot, so Tracia, I hope you like it :)**_

_**Please, everyone, review, please, please, please!!!**_

_**I wish you much fun reading it!**_

**_Disclaimer: I don't own it._**

* * *

David Rossi sat in the living room of his cabin in Little Creek, staring on the floor, his eyes following the lines in the wood and watching how sun would create many patterns as the day went by. For the whole day he didn't once leave his place. Rossi did nothing. He said nothing. As the phone rang, he wouldn't even flinch anymore, like he had done it during the first few weeks. He was the picture of a man who had lost every bit of hope.

He began watching the walls, the moonlight shining bright through his window and the shadows were unfolding along the room, to eventually unite in the middle of it, like the wings of a butterfly, slowly opening and closing in the rhythm of the night. The rain was knocking hard against the window, relentless like life itself, while in the scary light the raindrops seemed to run into waves. Involuntarily, he had to think of swan lake, as Odette and Prince Siegfried walked into the waves and into their death, despair pushing them, but they were rather dead than not being together.

That was how he felt, oh how much he would like to sink into the waves, now, that sun had disappeared out of his life. The thought of having to spent just one more day without her made him go insane, he couldn't live without her. If he had been in in the Prince's position, his decision would have been just the same. But Odette had turned away from him, once and for all, when she had seen him with Odile and he was alone, left behind on the shore of the lake, broken and knowing that he alone was responsible for letting the love of his life leave him. He would have to live with that fact for the rest of his life.

One stupid mistake, just one. Dave would never be able to forgive himself. If only he had turned around, back then on this day. If he wouldn't have went to Emma's grave, if he'd never said these words. They needed to be said, but surely he could've been finding a better place for it?

And if she hadn't come after him? Would he ever have been able to look her in the eyes again, without feeling guilty? Could he have lied to her about it?

Well, it didn't matter anymore.

As moon had left, making space for the bright glowing light of the sun which made the darker corners even darker, its light was falling onto his pale skin, terrified illuminating the human cover that had once been David Rossi, before Jennifer Jareau had walked out of his life. And sun hid behind the clouds again, sensing that this was a place, even with all the light and warmth it had to give, it wouldn't be enough to bring Dave back to life.

Dave had been sitting on this sofa for two days now, without moving, without eating or sleeping. What was the sense in it, after all? JJ was gone and she wouldn't come back. She wouldn't come back. How on earth could he have been that foolish?

_

* * *

_

_David Rossi wasn't entirely sure what was expecting him, even though being one of the best profilers, he hadn't been able to read JJ's facial expression when she heard his words on Emma's grave. Or he didn't dare to._

_As he put his go-bag down, he shook his head. What had to come would come, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. There was no sense in hiding. He turned to her "JJ, what you've heard there today...", but she wouldn't let him finish this sentence._

_"I don't want to hear it, nothing of it all. I don't want to think about it. I can't think about it."_

_He made a step towards her, reaching for her hand, but she pushed him away. "Stay away from me, David! Don't you dare trying to be sensitive and understanding now. You screwed up, and how you screwed up. I can't believe what you have done."_

_"JJ, I..I didn't mean for you to hear it." Oh fuck! He saw the look on her face and it took him only one second to realize. that this was the worst answer he possibly could have been giving._

_"So you would have just lied to me, right? If I had asked you, you would have just told me that Emma meant nothing to you? I thought I knew you, Dave. I can't believe how wrong I was. All this time I thought I could trust you, but I was wrong. So wrong." She stared crying, her face in her hands._

_"JJ, baby, please, let me explain to you..." He wouldn't come any further, JJ was finally fed up. _

_"No, you will listen to me! You've been telling Emma, your dead love, that she was the one for you, that you could never love someone like you've loved her! That you, if she wasn't dead, wouldn't waste a second anymore and ask her to marry you. Dave, do you have even the slightest idea, what you have done to me? How much you have hurt me? That wasn't just a small flirt in a bar, I would have been a little jealous, but you could have fixed it. You ripped my heart out, teared it into pieces, threw it in the dirt and walked away, the remainder of my feelings sticking to your shoes, but you didn't care, Dave! I thought you would have loved, me, but obviously it was a mistake to ever think that. All this time you were thinking of her, I wasn't more than a cheap substitute, I was there, I was willing to, because I had loved you, really loved you and all these months, what you did was taking advantage of me!"_

_She was still sobbing and Dave wanted to do nothing more than taking her in his arms, but he knew, she would kill him if he tried._

_"That's not true, JJ, I love you", he replied hoarsely, his voice weaker than ever before in his life._

_She lifted her head up, anger and despair glowing in her eyes. "Liar! I don't believe any word you say. It's over, Dave. Don't call me. Don't try to talk about anything not work related with me. Don't ask me how I feel, or how Henry is. I don't want you in my or his life, from now on, we will be nothing more than colleagues, I don't know you, you don't know me, do you hear that? You are no longer a part of my life. I don't wish to ever hear from you again!"_

_She turned on her heel, slamming the door as she walked out and he sank on the floor, sobbing, screaming, cursing, like he'd never done before. Then begging, pleading. Silently crying. Calling her, again and again, despite what she had told him. But she wouldn't answer, wouldn't come back, no matter how much he longed to hear her soft footsteps on his porch, no matter how long he was waiting. She never came back._

_It was the night David Rossi died, his body would still function, but besides of that, he was a dead man._

* * *

In the first weeks, he had wanted to hold her in his arms again every single minute of the day. Now, all he wanted, was to hold her only one more time in his life, get her back for only one moment. It was all he dared to wish for, but he had lost faith in it.

Since three months now, David Rossi wasn't more than just a ghost, his heart was with her and would always be, without her, there was no sense in living anymore. No one could pull him out of the deep dark hole he had fallen into when JJ had left him and he lived, day by day, without noticing that he did so and the team silently wishing for a miracle to get him back.

But no one wanted it to happen like that.

Dave seemed to wake up from a long lasting trance, as he noticed the UnSub pointing his gun at JJ. Dave was old, and since she and Henry had left his life, there was nothing left worth living for. Only one thought rushed through his mind. _Not her!_ He couldn't let that happen, couldn't let her get hurt or even die. He couldn't. And if it was the last thing he would do. Without hesitating a second, he moved in front of JJ, grabbing her and pressing her down on the ground.

Suddenly, everything seemed to happen so fast. Colors and shapes were melting in front of his eyes, he couldn't tell one voice from the other one, didn't know what was happening, but anyway...he didn't care. Everything he needed to see, everything, he needed to hear, was his beloved Jennifer and her beautiful voice. But why was she crying?

JJ knelt down on the floor, leaning over Dave, her face covered with tears. "Dave, please...please, don't give up, do you hear me? You need to fight, you need to believe that you can make it, okay, Dave,?Be strong, the ambulance is almost here, you are not going to die, under no circumstances are you going to die, can you hear me? Dave, answer me! Dave!"

He felt so cold, and it felt good, this physical pain, after all these months, he finally felt something again, and welcomed it, he wasn't completely dead, not yet, but it was just a matter of time. And if it wasn't for JJ, if it hadn't been her wish, he wouldn't have started fighting at all. His JJ...she was the last thought on his mind before we passed out, JJ screaming over him, calling his name, again and again.

The team, in the middle of all this chaos, was listening wand watching in pain, asking themselves, whom JJ ought to convince, Dave or herself.

* * *

As David Rossi woke up, the first thing he heard was a very annoying beep, beep, beep... a monotonous rhythm and he wondered where it came from, did hell have interferences? That was when he noticed the narrowness in his chest, a sharp pain shooting through him and an unknwon cold, that didn't seem to have left his body completely. But something fought against it, a sudden warmth he hadn't noticed before, beginning in his hand and slowly, but steadily, taking over his body.

What had happened? Dave was confused, he could remember the cold, JJ's blue eyes over him, full of tears, JJ...oh god, what had happened? Was she hurt? Where was she? A wave of panic swapped over him, he needed to know, if she was alright, what was he doing here, he needed to find her...

He opened his eyes, tried to move and groaned loudly, the pain shooting through his body tying him to the bed instantly. But the woman next to him moved.

JJ nearly fell out of the chair when hearing Dave's voice, she grabbed his hand even tighter und got up, deathly pale, her eyes red and swollen. She leaned over him, her other hand resting on his cheek. "David..." it wasn't more than a hoarse whisper, but he could hear it without any problems.

Dave stared at her, was it just a dream? Irritation soon made space for joy, she was here, she was alive. "JJ, you...you're okay. You're alive", he whispered. She nodded, endless amounts of tears running down her face.

"JJ, what has happened?" It was her turn to stare at him. He couldn't remember, he really couldn't remember. How on earth should she explain it to him? That she was the very reason he was laying in this bed?

"You...you got shot. In the chest, the bullet barely missed your heart. Only a little more to the right and..." She wasn't able to say anything else, instead she sank back in the chair, sobbing, trembling, her heart aching so bad as if it was her that got hit by a bullet.

Dave groaned quietly. A rather unpleasant thought had crossed his mind. This, right here, it wouldn't last very long, JJ would leave his side again, as soon as he felt better. That was his only chance, she wouldn't run away, she wouldn't go now. She just had to listen.

"JJ, there's something you need to know", he started, but talking was so incredibly hard. It nearly took his breath away and the pain in his chest only increased. But she needed to hear it, she really needed to. Dave couldn't leave without having told her. "JJ...", this time she was the one to interrupt him, a desperate expression on her face and he knew, how clearly visible his pain had to be for her

"Dave, you need to get some rest. You need to sleep in order to start healing. Everything you want to say can wait."

"No...JJ...tell you now....you..."

"Ssh, Dave, please relax. You've got time."

"JJ..."

"We will talk, Dave, I promise. We will talk. Please sleep now."

Dave really didn't want to sleep, he wanted to cry his heart out, tell her everything, but the pain was simply too strong. Pushed by them and the medication he had received, he sank back into a dreamless condition, in which his physical wounds could heal. His mental ones...they would need to wait.

The next time he woke up, it was in the middle of the night. And for the first time since nearly three months he had to smile a little, seeing JJ, who was resting her head on a free spot next to his, being sound asleep and still holding his hand. Her calm breath reached his ear, made him sleepy and he drifted off again..

Whenever he would wake up during the next few days, JJ was at his side, either asleep or awake, her kind words, gentle touches surrounding him, making him believe this wasn't real, that he was captured in a dream world, how could she still be here?

But every time she would avoid his attempts on having a conversation he knew it was real. And it hurt him far more than the wound in his chest. That would heal, but what about his heart?

* * *

Nearly two months had passed by since he got shot while trying to protect JJ. His life had changed again, despite of work and seemingly endless consultations with doctors and shrinks. He had known they would come. No, most importantly, JJ had started talking to him again. They would share a smile when meeting at work, he was allowed to see Henry again. Sometimes they would go out together at lunch break. He brought her coffee every morning, sent her flowers. He wasn't that far apart from her anymore.

But still...whenever he tried to talk about those days that made them separate, she would turn him down, suddenly leave. JJ kept on telling him she wasn't ready for it yet. And as much as he wanted to tell her what had really happened on Emma's grave, he knew that he mustn't push her, or she would leave him again.

But with every day, Dave's despair and fear grew that they would never be having this conversation, that maybe one day, JJ would tell him there was a new man in her life. He honestly wouldn't be surprised, but she needed to know what had happened, she needed to hear the truth or he would never be able to forgive himself. And if she would really fall in love with someone else, he knew he wouldn't survive it.

Dave had always been a man of deeds more than of words and he wouldn't let the best thing in his life simply pass him by, he wouldn't let JJ slip out of reach, not without a fight.

JJ was more than suspicious, when one Saturday afternoon in the park, she and Henry ran into Dave, Emily, Penelope and Jack, whom the three had 'borrowed' from Hotch for this occasion. Emily and Garcia had agreed on helping Dave after he had told them every little detail about what had really happened that day. Jack was more than delighted to see Henry and JJ hardly had a chance to open her mouth and say hello, as her best friends had dashed away with the children and she found that it was just her and Dave, something she had been good at avoiding since he had left hospital. A serious conversation would be in store for her friends, but for the moment, she had a far bigger problem to deal with.

Dave was more nervous than ever before. Everything just had to work out now, or he would never be getting JJ back. She had agreed on taking a walk with him, but hadn't said a single word and he was afraid she would just change her mind and leave.

They reached a fountain, surrounded by a hedge that was hiding them completely from the rest of the world. Everything they could hear was the soft whisper of the water, all other sounds in the park were swallowed by the hedge. It seemed like they had stepped into another world. Dave knew how much JJ loved this place, its silence, its seclusion, the feeling that while they were here, nothing could happen to them. It was JJ little piece of paradise and it had been his, while they were together. Since then he hadn't been here again. The world had changed, but here, time seemed to have stood still.

JJ sat down on a bench, still quiet and staring on the ground, then suddenly looking up, so confused, that all he wanted to do was pull her into his arms and keep her there. But that would have to wait. Hopefully not forever.

"Dave, what are we doing here? Why did you take me here?"

"JJ, do you remember what you'd promised me while I was laying in hospital? That we would be talking?"

JJ bit her bottom lip. Of course she knew, but to be honest, she had hoped Dave would have forgotten. She knew that they would need to talk, but she was afraid of this conversation. What if it made everything only worse? JJ was able to live with the uncertainty, at least for now, but if he should break her heart again, she wouldn't ever get over it. She still hadn't gotten over the last time.

"I know", she whispered, staring on the ground again, nothing in the world could make her look into his eyes, she knew, she would get lost in them, like so many times before, but right now, she needed to stay calm and focus on the facts.

"We need to talk, JJ. We can't avoid it any longer."

JJ was angry. She knew that he was right, but she didn't want to be pushed into this conversation. He couldn't be the one to make the rules on his own.

"What if I don't want to talk? If I just want to leave this part of my life behind me?"

Dave looked at her. That was exactly what he had been afraid of. Carefully, he made a few steps towards her.

"JJ, you don't need to talk. I am going to talk. All I'm asking you for is to listen to me. I know, I don't have a right to ask for anything from you, but please, listen to me. Whatever the outcome might be, there are things I need to tell, things I need to explain to you. All I'm asking you for is a chance to do just that. Please, JJ?"

She shot him a quick glance, he was deadly serious about it, David Rossi was begging her to listen. If the situation wasn't that serious, she could have laughed about it. Finally, she nodded.

Dave was relieved. He couldn't know what would be between them after today. It could get better. It could get worse. But he knew he couldn't wait any longer, sitting around, doing nothing. For better or for worse, things had to change.

"JJ, the day when I was visiting Emma's grave, you've heard some things you weren't meant to hear. Not at this time at least. But nothing of what has happened is your fault. I should have been honest to you from the beginning on, I should have told you about her. I know, it comes very late, but I'd like to do it now.

Emma Schuller was a very special woman in my life. I have loved her from the day I've first met her. To me, she represented all the good in this world. There was nothing I couldn't have shared with her, I was trusting her completely, she was my best friend for a long time. Even after she wasn't a part of my everyday life anymore, I didn't stop loving her and I don't think that's ever going to change."

JJ listened, she was speechless and hurt. He couldn't be serious about that, could he? All those months she had been right, he had just used her.

Dave knew he had to keep talking, or he would lose JJ.

"But, JJ, I was wrong." _Yes, in your feelings for me_, she thought embittered.

"For a long time I had thought, Emma was the one, that only with her I'd had the chance of happiness and love ever after. And that I had let this chance slip through my fingers, that it would be too late. I was wrong, and I realized that when I met you."

Dave stepped even closer and finally, JJ lifted her eyes up. They met his and he was looking at her intensely, not willing to let her break eye contact again.

"JJ, when I saw you for the first time, I was sure you couldn't be real. Sometimes I still believe that. You are too beautiful and good for this world. I'd never thought, you could really be interested in someone like me."

JJ knew where this would lead, but she wouldn't just let him win, she wouldn't let him enchant her with his voice, his sweet words. That wasn't enough anymore.

"Get to the point, Dave, what was it that you did at Emma's grave?"

He looked at her, obviously surprised about being interrupted, but eager to do anything JJ asked him to, as long as it didn't include letting her walk out of his life.

"Sweetheart...", he sighed, "JJ, I was saying hello to an old friend. Talking about the old times, the memories we shared together. Our past. And I was saying goodbye to an old love, my first love. But not the one, never the one. And I was...practicing", he murmured.

JJ stared at him, the ever so confident David Rossi suddenly seemed shy, insecure. It was quite a view.

"Practicing? What could you probably practice at a grave that would lead to something good?"

He looked at her, and she was suprised by the overwhelming fear but also love in his eyes.

"This", he said, kneeling down in front of her, pulling a certain box out of his pocket.

JJ's eyes nearly popped out of her head as she stared at the ring. _What the..._

"JJ, I know that I've wanted you for a long time. I've wanted you, but not like all the other women in my life. They passed by, but with you, I wanted to stay forever. I want to, I want this to be forever. You are the sun in my life, without you, there is just darkness. When I am down on the ground, one smile of yours is enough to pull me up, all the horrible things we see every day at work, you make them appear less horrible, more bearable, as if there really was a chance that we could change things. When you are by my side, I feel like everything was possible. One touch of you has me trembling, and whenever you cry, I wonder how world could be that cruel, hurting someone as beautiful and innocent as you. There isn't one second of the day in which I don't want to wrap my arms around you, make sure you are safe. All I can think about is you, it's been like that since the first day I've met you. It stayed like that when you were with Will. And since a while I know, it's never going to change. Jennifer Jareau, if there is one thing in my life that I am really sure of, it is the fact that you are the one."

JJ looked down on him, she had tears in her eyes, but he was crying without trying to hide it.

"I love you more than I have ever loved someone, more than I thought it was possible to love someone, until I've met you, I didn't know love could be that strong, that positive. I've only seen the bad side of it before, but then again, I think, before I've met you, I've never been in love, I've never been with someone I've loved so deeply. I've never been with Emma, JJ, and it wouldn't ever have been like it is with you. When you are gone, everything just seems so wrong, life seems less interesting, bright colors less colorful, the sun less warm. I don't feel like laughing when you are not around, and home isn't home when you and Henry are not with me. I don't feel like life was worth living it, JJ. You are everything that matters, that has ever mattered and will ever matter. You are my world, my life, my heart, my soul. I don't want to spent one more day without you by my side, I wasted too many of them already."

Dave reached out to take JJ's hands in his.

"Jennifer, I know I've made a big mistake, it wasn't my first one, and probably won't be my last one. I can't promise you that it will always be easy, that from now on, there will be no rain, just sunshine. I would love to tell you that, but we both know, it isn't true. The truth is, when we are together, we can get through everything, and I believe that we will face difficult times in our relationship with our heads held high and whatever happens, we will make it, and only get stronger. If you want me. I know that I want you. I need you. I love you, I love you more than my own life. For so many years, Ive been selfish, but since I've met you, I don't care anymore what happens to me. All I want is to make you happy, JJ. And I hope we can find eternal love and happiness together."

They looked at each other, and one moment seemed like a lifetime, JJ could see right through him, his eyes, the window to his soul, telling him that he was serious, that he meant every word he said.

"JJ...", his voice a whisper, slightly trembling, "please marry me, JJ."

She stared at him, simply stared until she felt him getting nervous. Still tears in her eyes, she leaned forward, pressing her lips on his, softly, passionately, full of the love she felt for him and it seemed that no words were needed.

Dave had wrapped his arms around her, since five endless months he had longed to do that and he knew, now that she was here in his embrace, he wouldn't ever let her go again.

"Is that a yes?", he asked, still holding her tightly against his chest.

She kissed him again. "No. No, I won't marry you. Not yet, Dave." She saw how hurt he was and gently cupped his face in her hands, urging him to look at her. "I didn't say never, just not yet. Listen, Dave", she smiled, "I know I want you. I know I need you. I know I love you and I'm pretty certain that you are the one. But before I say yes, I want to be sure, that we can really get through everything together, I need to be a 100% sure that we can make it together. Do you understand that, Dave?"

He nodded. "You can take all the time in the world, JJ. But what does this mean for us?"

"Didn't you listen to me, Dave? I said I love you. Although I said no to marrying you, I'm saying yes to you, to us! I want us to be together, I want to get past these mistakes and start again. Do you think we can do that?"

He grinned, kissing her, then pulling her up with him and spinning her around. As he rested his forehead on hers, Dave chuckled.

"I was such an idiot, JJ, I'm so sorry."

She sighed. "Yes, yes you were. But you are my idiot, Dave, and as long as you don't run away, I won't let anything come between us. I love you."

"I love you, too, JJ, and I promise, I will make this work. And I definitely won't run away. Never."

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_**Thank you for reading, I hope you liked it. **_

_**This was my first story ever with a happy ending, so please tell me what you think. **_

_**Should I do more JJ/Rossi?**_

_**Please, please, please review and let me know what you think! **_


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